Overall Thoughts: Part Shakespearean tragedy, part musical triumph...off-kilter, but fairly winning combination.
Cyrano was an interesting movie to watch. It was an old-school, well-articulated story that would fit well in the days of William Shakespeare. And, it also has a rousing musical undercurrent. It's equal parts Romeo and Juliet, Les Miserables, with a dash of Hamilton's hip hop on the side. Could that work?
And the answer is, it does, well mostly. Cyrano works thanks to a few reasons. First is a dedicated directing job by Joe Wright. He goes all in for the film's period backdrop, with old-fashioned cinematography and production choices. Like Darkest Hour before it, Wright sells the film on a strong sense of authenticity. Fantastic costume work by Massimo Cantini Parrini and Jacqueline Durran (both received an Oscar nomination here) helps too.
Peter Dinklage does a fantastic job in the lead role here. He's instantly likable, and convincingly showcases the struggle between heartfelt love and selfless dedication. It's a terrific performance that definitely should not have been overlooked by the Oscars. And while Dinklage is not the best singer in the cast, he does a very good job with what he is given. Haley Bennett is also a solid presence as love interest Roxanne.
As for the songs, they aren't the most memorable I've heard. But, they do a great job helping advance the story. "I Need More" is a solid love song, while "Wherever I Fall" works as an emotional climax song heading into the final act. Wright, however, does show he is a newbie at the musical genre, with some odd camera angles throughout each number.
The film leads to a suspense-filled ending that reminded me of the tragic endings of many Shakespeare and Victor Hugo plays. The performances really amp up a couple of notches in these scenes, and I was glued to the screen at the end. That being said, it's also a fairly melancholy ending. Also, with the exception of the last 30 minutes, the pacing for the remainder of the film is pretty scattershot, with a few slow stretches here and there.
In the end, Cyrano does not quite stand out enough to be a movie many will remember. But, a dedicated lead performance, a terrific directing effort, and a few strong dramatic elements make it at least worth a watch.
Grade: B
Is this movie family-friendly? Cyrano is rated PG-13 for "some strong violence, thematic and suggestive material, and brief language". There are a couple of fencing/swordfights that lead to many casualties (but not much in bloodshed; except for one instance where blood is seen as a result of an impaling). An intense battle leads to a large body count, while another character dies from illness. As far as suggestive material goes, there's a threatening letter that hints at sexual abuse or force, while Roxanne reacts with a bit of erotic passion to Cyrano/Christian's letters. A couple of kisses are seen and one scene shows bakers dancing suggestively/sensually. A few questionable spiritual comments here and there ("Roxanne is his religion", "I'm proof God has a sick sense of humor!") and a little bit of mild language (one "d***", five uses of "h***" and three of "oh my g**") appear as well. The ending is sad too. Definitely heed the PG-13 rating on this one, even if the content is towards the mild side of the rating fence.
Is this movie family-friendly? Cyrano is rated PG-13 for "some strong violence, thematic and suggestive material, and brief language". There are a couple of fencing/swordfights that lead to many casualties (but not much in bloodshed; except for one instance where blood is seen as a result of an impaling). An intense battle leads to a large body count, while another character dies from illness. As far as suggestive material goes, there's a threatening letter that hints at sexual abuse or force, while Roxanne reacts with a bit of erotic passion to Cyrano/Christian's letters. A couple of kisses are seen and one scene shows bakers dancing suggestively/sensually. A few questionable spiritual comments here and there ("Roxanne is his religion", "I'm proof God has a sick sense of humor!") and a little bit of mild language (one "d***", five uses of "h***" and three of "oh my g**") appear as well. The ending is sad too. Definitely heed the PG-13 rating on this one, even if the content is towards the mild side of the rating fence.
